Waste Collection & Recycling

Amwaste is the residential waste, recycling and bulk trash service provider for Vestavia Hills. (Businesses should contract with a waste collection agency of their choice.) The City’s Public Services department remains as the principal point of contact for requests and resolution of any issues. Please continue to submit your waste collection request or complaint via Vestavia Hills Connect or by contacting Jennifer Swann in Public Services (jswann@vhal.org;  205.978.0150).

Click HERE for a downloadable PDF of the Waste & Recycling Collection Guidelines.

>>Important Information Regarding Your Sanitation Collection Service<<

Amwaste has recently conducted an extensive review of sanitation service routes in an effort to improve your service in the Vestavia Hills area. This review highlighted the need to rebalance routes to provide better service to your household.

Beginning the week of March 25, 2024, service days will change for 2,670 homes. Affected homeowners will receive mailed correspondence from Amwaste alerting them to the change in collection days.

>>Click HERE to view the full list of affected locations.

You may also view your location on Amwaste’s route map. Click HERE to access the map then use the magnifying glass icon to search your address. NOTE: Collection days for areas highlighted in red are Tuesday/Friday; collection days for areas highlighted in blue are Monday/Thursday.

Please note that you will continue to receive two service visits per week as follows:

  • The first collection is primarily for household garbage and small amounts of debris that will fit in the trash container, as everything collected that day will be taken to the landfill.
  • The second collection is intended for a “mixed stream,” as everything collected that day will be transported to RePower South and sorted to separate recyclables from waste. For more information about this state-of-the-art facility, please visit www.RePowerSouth.com.

If a service interruption occurs, please report the issue via the Vestavia Hills Connect app or online at https://vhal.org/vestavia-hills-connect.

Schedule
  • Waste is collected twice per week: Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday. If you are unsure of the pick-up days at your address, click the button below and use the magnifying glass icon to search your address:

Service Day Map

  • The first collection service of the week will be for household garbage and small bulk/brush – everything collected that day will be taken to the landfill.
  • The second collection service will be for a “mixed stream” – everything collected that day will be transported to RePower South and sorted to separate recyclables from waste.
  • Routes may begin as early as 7 a.m. Be sure to have the materials out for collection by 6:30 a.m. of your scheduled service days.
  • The following holidays will be observed each year: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. If the holiday falls on a weekday, City-wide service will be delayed by one day following each of these scheduled holidays, i.e. Monday routes will run Tuesday; Tuesday routes will run Wednesday; etc. If the holiday falls on a weekend, service will not be interrupted.
Recyclables
  • The second collection service each week will be for a “mixed stream” – everything collected that day will be transported to RePower South and sorted to separate recyclables from waste. Residents who want to participate in the recycling process are encouraged to retain recyclables until the second collection day each week. While both pickups allow for the removal of waste, only the second weekly collection will be sorted to extract recyclables.
  • What is accepted for recycling? Nearly everything is accepted other than: food, organic waste (dirt, rocks, grass, etc.) and glass. Of the remaining materials, RePower South (RPS) transforms approximately 70% of this waste into two products:
    • Sold commodities. Recyclable commodities, such as cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, metals/cans, etc. are baled and sold into established commodity markets.
    • ReEF fuel. For some materials, such as non-recyclable papers and plastics, there isn’t a market for that product. Therefore, it is not able to be sold as a commodity in its current state. But that is not to say these materials aren’t “recycled” – RPS processes these materials to “recycle” them into “ReEF” fuel, which is used as a replacement for coal in industrial and energy utility boilers. (ReEF fuel burns cleaner than coal and is desired by industrial and energy utilities for energy generation.)
  • How does the new recycling program “work”? RePower South accepts bagged recycling and household waste co-mingled. All materials collected on the second service day each week are transported to RePower South, where they enter a system of sorters that separate waste materials from recyclables. There is also no longer a requirement for recyclables to be pre-sorted, clean, dry and empty. Just be sure to put it out for collection on the second service day each week. For more information about the recycling process at this state-of-the-art facility, visit www.RePowerSouth.com or view the recycling process video directly at https://youtu.be/qOxJaOQOkPM.
Carts & Placement
  • Continue to utilize your existing cart for service. To request an additional cart or if your cart is broken and needs to be replaced, submit a request in Vestavia Hills Connect to “Deliver a New Cart.”
  • Carts should be placed on the curb with the arrows on the lid pointing to the street, and no more than 3’ from the curb.
  • Carts should not be placed on sidewalk; storm drain cover; gutter; steep slope; on an elevated platform; under a low-hanging utility line or other obstruction; or within 6’ of any fixed objects such as a mailbox, hedges, retaining wall, vehicle parked on street, etc.
  • All household garbage and recycling should be bagged to minimize litter during collection.
  • No single bag/container may exceed 50 lbs.
Bulk Collection
  • Scheduling collection. There is NOT a designated bulk trash pickup day. A request for pickup of large piles of yard debris/bulk trash should be requested via Vestavia Hills Connect or by calling 205.978.0150. If your materials are not picked up within 10 business days following your request, call Public Works at 205.978.0150. Be sure to include the confirmation number you received when submitting your Vestavia Hills Connect request.
  • Landscaping & construction debris. Landscaping and/or construction debris is to be removed by the contractor performing the service. Please advise the contractor of this responsibility when arranging for service. Only homeowner-generated materials should be scheduled for pick-up by Amwaste. A roll-off dumpster should be utilized for construction/renovation projects generating significant debris.
  • Loose debris & organic matter. Small amounts of debris, leaves*, pine straw, small limbs, etc. should be bagged for collection. Small amounts may be placed in your cart for collection. A Vestavia Hills Connect pickup request should be submitted if you have 15 or more bags of debris to be collected. Branches may not be longer than 6’ in length.
  • *Leaf collection. Leaves should be bagged and placed in your cart or on the curb for collection. The City of Vestavia Hills does not provide leaf truck service for a variety of reasons:
    • Not rated as a priority by residents. The results of the 2017 Citizen Survey ranked leaf truck service as #12 of 12 possible options.
    • Budget. The most recent bid for leaf truck service was $805,000 for 3-4 pickups annually. As a result of the survey, this cost was reallocated to enhance amenities/needs ranked as high priority, such as roadway improvements, sidewalk installation and the hiring of additional police and fire personnel.
    • Storm drain issues. Historically, leaves sat on the curb and gutter of residences and often blew/washed into storm drains while awaiting collection. The accumulation of organic matter blocked storm drains and gutters from being able to quickly drain during a heavy rainfall. The organic matter also traveled downstream into surrounding water sources.
  • Appliances. Most appliances will be collected. Refrigerated appliances require a Freon removal tag issued by a certified technician prior to collection.
  • Placement. Materials should be placed no more than 3’ from the curb and in an area with no overhead obstructions.
  • Hazardous waste. There are typically two Hazardous Waste Collection Days offered annually in the City of Vestavia Hills for the disposal of: paint; bulbs (including CFLs, fluorescent bulbs and other bulbs that contain mercury); and batteries (lithium and “button” batteries).
  • Medication disposal. Solid medications (no liquids) may be dropped off at the Vestavia Hills Police department at City Hall and the substation located in Cahaba Heights. For more information, call 205.978.0124.

Accepted/Not Accepted

  • Materials that will be collected. Rolled carpet; glass doors (glass must be broken and placed in a cardboard box); alkaline, manganese and carbon-zinc batteries; fluorescent bulbs; household amount of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers; moving boxes (broken down); packing materials (bagged); appliances (refrigerated appliances require a Freon removal tag issued by a certified technician) and mattresses. If you have questions or are unsure, call 205.978.0150 for clarification.
  • Materials that will NOT be collected. Cross ties (railroad ties) contain creosote and are not accepted by landfills; paint must be dried before it will be collected – add sand or kitty litter to dry the paint and, once dried, leave the can on the curb with the lid off; large amounts of construction debris: blocks, bricks, concrete, piles of dirt, tile, etc.; more than household amounts of hazardous waste; car batteries; large car parts (engines, rotors, etc.); needles; and animal carcasses. This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions or are unsure, email publicservices@vhal.org or call 205.978.0150 for clarification.
Back Door Garbage Collection

Back door garbage collection is available at no cost for persons with a medically certified need or for a fee for those who prefer the convenience. For more information, contact Jennifer Swann at jswann@vhal.org or 205.978.0150 or submit a request for information using the “Back Door Garbage Collection” request in Vestavia Hills Connect.

To view bid options and details, visit https://vhal.org/sanitation-contract-bid.